Why Board Jobs Are Rarely Advertised

Applying for a board job is not like applying for a senior leadership position at a company. Many get offered a board position as they near retirement. However, if you think you can send your application, you’re going to get frustrated. These jobs are rarely advertised, and for a good reason.

Many people don’t get the need for secrecy. So, to understand why, you need to understand the difference between a corporate board position and a regular corporate executive position.

At first glance, there isn’t much. At a macro level, a board director is responsible for the financial success and overall future direction of the corporation.

Now, when you understand a board director does, you’ll understand why you don’t see board jobs advertised.

A Day in the Life of a Board Director

Whether it’s a board job for a corporation or a not-for-profit organisation, the role of a board director is the same.

An executive is usually invited to be a board director because of their expertise and experience. That’s why people submit their CV without an invitation don’t qualify. Even if the company or organisation advertised their board jobs, you still need to get someone to endorse you.

So, what responsibilities does a board director perform?

A board director makes and implements strategic decisions for the company’s employees and shareholders. He or she also carries out fiduciary duties as the law requires.

This is why board jobs aren’t advertised: the responsibilities and tasks are very sensitive. Whether elected or invited, the person chosen for this position should be peers of the existing board members. In other words, these candidates have the experience and business acumen to get the job done.

That’s why this is one of the hardest roles to obtain any information, much less apply for. Competition is stiff. However, once you get the job, the sky’s the limit. And the benefits are excellent.

Why Board Jobs Are Rarely Advertised

Which brings us back to the question: why are board jobs rarely advertised? In considering the critical role that a board director has to perform, it’s clear that companies make significant corporate changes like thi discreetly.

Now, one might wonder why this is so. Let’s say that you are a board member already and you decided to move on to greener pastures. Of course, a vacancy opens up. However, with this change, the shareholders who rely on your decisions will begin to doubt the company’s direction and fiscal standing. As a result, share values will drop. Most corporate boards don’t want to take that risk.

Corporations or non-profits might get Board CVs from people without the experience or expertise to hold an honourable position. Corporate board members don’t want to waste their time weeding through unqualified candidates. This is why board jobs only accept CVs from those they invite.

In Closing

While it’s debatable whether putting out a board job ad works or not, the trend is usually either nominating or electing a suitable candidate. Still, one can tell that allowing candidates to make applications is not such a bad idea for some corporations or not-for-profit organizations.

That said, only time will tell whether this becomes a trend in the future. Until then, don’t be surprised to find little or no advertisements for board jobs. You’ll have to network your way into a board member’s position.